Indictments loom in Mueller Russia probe
THE FIRST ROUND of charges in special counsel Robert Mueller’s ongoing investigation into Russian meddling in the 2016 election were approved Friday — but it’s still not known what they are or who they target.
A federal grand jury in D.C. approved the charges, CNN reported on Friday, citing sources briefed in the matter.
The network said plans were being made to take anyone charged into custody on Monday.
But with the charges still sealed under orders from a federal judge, it’ s impossible to know who might be involved.
CNN said a spokesman for Mueller’s office declined to comment.
The special counsel has been digging into allegations of Russian involvement in the 2016 presidential campaign since May.
Mueller has been focusing on potential collusion between the Trump campaign and Russia.
The President is also part of the probe for possible obstruction of justice for his alleged efforts to impede the investigation.
CNN reported that investigators are also scrutinizing Trump and his associates’ financial ties to Russia.
In addition to Mueller’s probe, three committees on Capitol Hill are conducting their own investigations.
As part of his investigation, Mueller has reportedly interviewed former White House Chief of Staff Reince Priebus and former White House press secretary Sean Spicer.
Aside from looking at possible coordination between Trump campaign aides and the Kremlin during the election, Mueller is also probing the firing of former FBI Director James Comey and a 2016 meeting between Donald Trump Jr. and a Russian lawyer at Trump Tower.
Former National Security Adviser Michael Flynn’s connections to foreign governments, including Russia, are also under Mueller’s microscope.
Another one of the special counsel’s lines of inquiry has been centered on the President’s one-time campaign chairman Paul Manafort and his work in Russia’s neighbor Ukraine.
Manafort’s home was reportedly raided in connection with the investigation in July.
Separate investigations are looking at Manafort for alleged money laundering and tax issues. Manafort has said he has done nothing wrong.
President Trump intends to spend at least $430,000 of his own money to help pay the legal bills of White House staff and campaign aides related to the Mueller investigations, a White House official said last week.